iPhone 16e: What’s missing, and is it a big deal?

Apple has launched a new iPhone – the iPhone 16e – months after the launch of the ‘regular’ iPhone 16 lineup, which has recently gone on sale. While many had expected the new iPhone to be a new version of the SE series, Apple released a completely new device called the iPhone 16e. While its specs and design were not “nothing we had not seen before,” it did come with a completely new price tag, one that is the most affordable in the iPhone 16 series.

But a reduced price tag also means cutting corners. And the iPhone 16e certainly has cut its share. There are a number of specs and features missing from the newest iPhone 16’s anatomy, which is basically the price you pay for its ‘affordable’ price tag. But how big a deal are all these missing features? And are they actually deal breakers? We dig in and explain:

(Note: this is not a review. That will come in later)

ProMotion / 120 Hz refresh rate display/h3>

A ProMotion display is a very Pro-iPhone exclusive feature, which means even the suffix-less base iPhone does not get it.

For those who don’t know, ProMotion display is basically Apple’s terminology for a display that supports a 120 Hz refresh rate. It adjusts automatically based on the kind of content being displayed on your screen. As the base iPhone 16 does not have it, it was pretty much expected that the most affordable iPhone 16 in the series would not get this feature, but some had still expected (hoped?) that Apple would bring a higher refresh rate to the iPhone 16e, as many of its competitors in the segment had high refresh rates.

Well, Apple did not.

Is it a big deal? On paper, definitely, but unless you put two phones, one with ProMotion support and one without, next to each other or switch from an iPhone Pro to the iPhone 16e, you are unlikely to get hit in the face by the difference. Yes, the scrolling is smoother, and the games certainly play better, but does the difference glare at you when you are simply just going about your everyday smartphone chores? Not really, especially as even the more expensive iPhone 16 does not have it either.

Relatively low brightness of the display

It might not have generated the kind of outrage its display’s refresh rate did, but the cut price tag of the iPhone 16e has also cut down its brightness levels.

The iPhone 16e comes with just 1200 nits peak brightness (indoors) as opposed to 1600 nits peak brightness (indoors) and 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor) on the iPhone 16, and way lower than the 3000 and more nits of brightness seen on other devices in the price segment. This is literally a fourth lower than the brightness of the iPhone 16 and is a significantly big difference.

While we have not used the iPhone 16e extensively, unless Apple has used some type of special brightness magic on the device, the difference is likely to be noticeable, especially outdoors on a bright, sunny day. We actually think it is a bigger deal than the refresh rate, as it kind of leaps out at you.

Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island (Apple’s version of the notch) started out on the Pro series but has now made its way to the non-pro iPhones as well (in the iPhone 15 series). But it is not on the iPhone 16e.

We have been using the Dynamic Island for a couple of years on our iPhone now, and while many still feel it is more flash than function – getting live updates of deliveries and cabs and having music controls on the Dynamic Island are just some of the features that have changed the way we use our iPhone on a daily basis. We think it is a big deal.

Camera Control button

Apple not only included the Action button but also the much-hyped Camera Control button for all phones in the iPhone 16 series, putting them all on the same button plain. And while the iPhone 16e comes with an Action button, it misses out on the newly introduced Camera Control button.

Is it a big miss? While we have used the button on our iPhone 16, and it can be handy, it comes with a very distinct learning curve. And well, we still do not go for the button instinctively when we want to take a shot or shoot a video. So, well, as of now, its absence on the iPhone 16e is not really a big deal. We might change our minds in time, but not as of now. We do not even use it that often on our iPhone 16.

MagSafe

The iPhone 16e is equipped with wireless charging at 7.5W but misses out on MagSafe support, which is present on all recent iPhones. For those who do not know, MagSafe is a magnetic technology that allows you to safely and swiftly charge your iPhone wirelessly at up to 25W charging speed with 30W or higher adapters by magnetic attachments to the back of your iPhone.

While charging is MagSafe’s most popular usage, there is more to it than just that – a number of MagSafe accessories (ranging from basic pop sockets to wallets to more complex power banks and even hard drives) can be attached to the back of the iPhone using its magnetic connectivity. In fact, it is this connectivity that we miss more than wireless charging (which remains kinda sorta sluggish). It also makes wireless charging safer, as the (supported) charger is attached magnetically to the iPhone and does not rest on a tray or pad. Yes, this is a big deal in our book.

Color Options

While the iPhone 16 comes in some very vibrant color variants, and the Pro models have a few classy options (and Titanium), the iPhone 16e only has two color options– black and white. This is a little surprising, given Apple’s recent record of bathing the base iPhone in plenty of colors, but is it a massive deal?

Well, while we would have loved some peppy colors on the phone, the iPhone survived on just black and white for most of its initial period. We think these two base colors are good enough and are not a huge deal – one can always slap a cover on the phone. Actually, most of us will.

Secondary camera on the back

The iPhone 16e might be the most affordable in the iPhone 16 series, but we think it still comes with a price tag that is high enough to merit a dual camera set up on the back. The iPhone 16e has just a single camera on the back.

Yes, it is a 48-megapixel one, and it turns out to have impressive results. Yes, Apple has mentioned that it is a two-in-one Fusion 48-megapixel sensor. Yes, we have not used it extensively yet.

However, we still think a secondary lens was integral to the iPhone 16e’s anatomy and could have added a layer of versatility to its camera setup. Given how integral photography is to the iPhone, we think the absence of an additional perspective (especially at that price) is definitely a major disappointment.

Compelling price tag

Well, we HAD to say this. There are many of us who expected the new iPhone to be not just a little less expensive but much more so than its siblings – the iPhone SE, after all, started at below $500/Rs 50,000.

The iPhone 16e comes with a starting price of $599/Rs. 59,900!

Now, the phone has a lot to offer. It runs on the same Apple A18 chipset, has the same display size and resolution as the iPhone 16, is supposed to have better battery life, a similar IP68 rating, a similar front camera, and comes with iOS 18 out of the box, and support for Apple Intelligence as well.

But that price tag not only puts it very close to the iPhone 15 (which is available for about $567/Rs 61,000 these days) but even places it within range of the iPhone 16, which is available at about $597/Rs 69,500 from some retailers. Which does not quite make the ‘budget iPhone’ that the iPhone SE was.

If it was launched to attract those users who buy older iPhones because they cannot afford new ones, then we do not think the iPhone 16e does enough. Its lower price is still high, and the similarly priced iPhone 15 comes with features that it lacks (secondary camera, Dynamic Island, MagSafe, etc.). Unless you want Apple Intelligence at the lowest possible price (and you will still get it cheaper on an iPad), this is not a compelling price. And we think that’s a massive deal.